Beijing, Nov. 18 (XINHUA) -- Following is the
full text of the Constitution of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
amended and adopted at the 16th CPC National Congress on Nov. 14, 2002:
CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA
(Amended and adopted at the Sixteenth National Congress of the
Communist Party of China on 14 November 2002)
General Program
The Communist Party of China is the vanguard both of the Chinese
working class and of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. It is
the core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese
characteristics and represents the development trend of China's advanced
productive forces, the orientation of China's advanced culture and the
fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people.
The realization of communism is the highest ideal and ultimate goal of
the Party.
The Communist Party of China takes Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong
Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three
Represents as its guide to action.
Marxism-Leninism brings to light the laws governing the development
of the history of human society. Its basic tenets are correct and have
tremendous vitality. The highest ideal of communism pursued by the
Chinese Communists can be realized only when the socialist society is
fully developed and very advanced. The development and improvement of
the socialist system is a long historical process. So long as the
Chinese Communists uphold the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism and follow
the road suited to China's specific conditions and chosen by the Chinese
people of their own accord, the socialist cause in China will be crowned
with final victory.
The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief
representative, created Mao Zedong Thought by integrating the basic
tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese
revolution. Mao Zedong Thought is Marxism-Leninism applied and
developed in China; it consists of a body of theoretical principles
concerning the revolution and construction in China and a summary of
experience therein, both of which have been proved correct by practice;
it represents the crystallized, collective wisdom of the Communist Party
of China. Under the guidance of Mao Zedong Thought, the Communist Party
of China led the people of all ethnic groups in their prolonged
revolutionary struggle against imperialism, feudalism and
bureaucrat-capitalism, winning victory for the new-democratic revolution
and founding the People's Republic of China, a people's democratic
dictatorship. After the founding of the People's Republic, it led them
in carrying out socialist transformation, completing the transition from
New Democracy to socialism, establishing the basic system of socialism
and developing socialism economically, politically and culturally.
After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Party Central
Committee, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as the
chief representative, summed up their experience, both positive and
negative, emancipated their minds, sought truth from facts, shifted the
focus of the work of the whole Party onto economic development and
carried out reform and opening to the outside world, ushering in a new
era of development in the cause of socialism, gradually formulating the
line, principles and policies concerning the building of socialism with
Chinese characteristics and expounding the basic questions concerning the
building, consolidating and developing of socialism in China, and thus
founding Deng Xiaoping Theory. Deng Xiaoping Theory is the outcome of
the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the practice
of contemporary China and the features of the times, a continuation and
development of Mao Zedong Thought under new historical conditions; it
represents a new period of development of Marxism in China, it is Marxism
of contemporary China and it is the crystallized, collective wisdom of
the Communist Party of China. It is guiding the socialist modernization
of our country from victory to victory.
Since the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Party Central
Committee and in the practice of building socialism with Chinese
characteristics, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Jiang Zemin as
their chief representative, have acquired a deeper understanding of what
socialism is, how to build it and what kind of a party to build and how
to build it, accumulated new valuable experience in running the Party and
state and formed the important thought of Three Represents. The
important thought of Three Represents is a continuation and development
of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory; it
reflects new requirements for the work of the Party and state arising
from the changes in China and other parts of the world today; it serves
as a powerful theoretical weapon for strengthening and improving Party
building and for promoting self-improvement and development of socialism
in China; and it is the crystallized, collective wisdom of the Communist
Party of China. It is a guiding ideology that the Party must uphold for
a long time to come. Persistent implementation of the "Three
Represents" is the foundation for building our Party, the cornerstone for
its governance and the source of its strength.
China is at the primary stage of socialism and will remain so for a
long period of time. This is a historical stage which cannot be skipped
in socialist modernization in China that is backward economically and
culturally. It will last for over a hundred years. In socialist
construction we must proceed from our specific conditions and take the
path to socialism with Chinese characteristics. At the present stage,
the principal contradiction in Chinese society is one between the
ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and the low level
of production. Owing to both domestic circumstances and foreign
influences, class struggle will continue to exist within a certain scope
for a long time and may possibly grow acute under certain conditions, but
it is no longer the principal contradiction. In building socialism, our
basic task is to further release and develop the productive forces and
achieve socialist modernization step by step by carrying out reform in
those aspects and links of the production relations and the
superstructure that do not conform to the development of the productive
forces. We must uphold and improve the basic economic system, with
public ownership playing a dominant role and diverse forms of ownership
developing side by side as well as the system of distribution under which
distribution according to work is dominant and a variety of modes of
distribution coexist, encourage some areas and some people to become rich
first, gradually eliminate poverty and achieve common prosperity, and
continuously meet the people's ever-growing material and cultural needs
on the basis of the growth of production and social wealth. Development
is our Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country.
The general starting point and criterion for judging all our work should
be how it benefits the development of the productive forces in our
socialist society, adds to the overall strength of our socialist country
and improves the people's living standards. The beginning of the new
century marks China's entry into the new stage of development of building
a well-off society in an all-round way and accelerating socialist
modernization. The strategic objectives of economic and social
development at the new stage in the new century are to consolidate and
develop the well-off standard of living initially attained, bring China
into a well-off society of a higher level to the benefit of well over one
billion people by the time of the Party's centenary and bring the per
capita GDP up to the level of moderately developed countries and realize
modernization in the main by the time of the centenary of the People's
Republic of China.
The basic line of the Communist Party of China at the primary stage
of socialism is to lead the people of all our ethnic groups in a
concerted, self-reliant and pioneering effort to turn China into a
prosperous, strong, democratic and culturally advanced modern socialist
country by making economic development our central task while adhering to
the Four Cardinal Principles and persevering in the reform and opening
up.
In leading the cause of socialism, the Communist Party of China must
persist in taking economic development as the central task, making all
other work subordinated to and serve this central task. We must lose no
time in speeding up economic development, implement the strategy of
rejuvenating the country through science and education and that of
sustainable development, give full play to the role of science and
technology as the primary productive force. We must take advantage of
the advancement of science and technology to improve the quality of
workers and work hard to push forward the economy with good results, high
quality and high speed.
The Four Cardinal Principles - to keep to the socialist road and to
uphold the people's democratic dictatorship, leadership by the Communist
Party of China, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought - are the
foundation on which to build our country. Throughout the course of
socialist modernization we must adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles
and combat bourgeois liberalization.
Reform and opening up are the only way to make our country strong.
We must carry out fundamental reform of the economic structure that
hampers the development of the productive forces, and keep and improve a
socialist market economy; we must also carry out corresponding political
restructuring and reform in other fields. The opening up means
all-dimensional opening up, both externally and internally. We must
expand economic and technological exchanges and cooperation with other
countries, make more and better use of foreign capital, resources and
technologies, and assimilate and exploit the achievements of all other
cultures, including all the advanced modes of operation and methods of
management of developed countries in the West that embody the laws
governing modern socialized production. We must be bold in blazing new
trails in the practice of reform and opening up.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in promoting socialist
democracy and building socialist political civilization. It keeps
expanding socialist democracy, strengthens the socialist legal system,
rules the country by law, builds a socialist country under the rule of
law and consolidates the people's democratic dictatorship. The system
of people's congresses and the system of multiparty cooperation and
political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of
China should continue. The Party should encourage the people to act as
the masters of the country and take effective measures to protect the
people's right to run the affairs of the state and of society and manage
economic and cultural undertakings. It should encourage the free airing
of views and establish and improve systems and procedures of democratic
decision-making and supervision. State legislation and law enforcement
should be strengthened so as to gradually put all work of the state on a
legal footing. Comprehensive measures for keeping law and order should
be taken to maintain the long-term social stability. Efforts must be
made according to law to crack down on the criminal activities and
criminals that endanger national security and interests, social stability
and economic development. We should strictly distinguish between the
two different types of contradictions - those between ourselves and the
enemy and those among the people, so as to handle them properly.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in their efforts to
build spiritual civilization as well as material and political
civilizations and to combine ruling the country by law and ruling the
country by virtue. Socialist spiritual civilization provides a powerful
ideological driving force and intellectual support and helps create a
good social climate for economic development, reform and opening up. It
is essential to press ahead with education, science and culture, respect
learning and talented people, raise the ideological, moral, scientific
and educational levels of the entire nation, develop the fine national
traditional culture, and develop a thriving socialist culture. It is
essential to inspire the Party members and the people with the Party's
basic line, patriotism, community spirit and socialist ideology, enhance
their sense of national dignity, self-confidence and self-reliance, imbue
the Party members with lofty ideals of communism, resist corrosion by
capitalist and feudal decadent ideas and wipe out all social evils so
that our people will have lofty ideals, moral integrity, a good education
and a strong sense of discipline.
The Communist Party of China persists in its leadership over the
People's Liberation Army and other people's armed forces, builds up the
strength of the People's Liberation Army, and gives full play to its role
in consolidating national defense, defending the motherland and
participating in the socialist modernization drive.
The Communist Party of China upholds and promotes relations of
equality, unity and mutual assistance among all ethnic groups in the
country, upholds and constantly improves the system of regional ethnic
autonomy, actively trains and promotes cadres from among ethnic
minorities, and helps them with economic and cultural development in the
areas inhabited by ethnic minorities so as to achieve common prosperity
and all-round progress for all ethnic groups.
The Communist Party of China unites with all workers, farmers and
intellectuals, and with all the democratic parties, personages without
party affiliation and the patriotic forces of all ethnic groups in China
in further expanding and fortifying the broadest possible patriotic
united front embracing all socialist workers and all patriots who support
socialism or who support the reunification of the motherland. We should
constantly work to strengthen the unity of all the Chinese people,
including our compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative
regions and in Taiwan as well as overseas Chinese. We should accomplish
the great task of reunifying the motherland in conformity with the
principle of "one country, two systems".
The Communist Party of China stands for developing relations with
other countries in order to bring about a favorable international
environment for China's reform, opening up and modernization. In
international affairs, it adheres to the independent foreign policy of
peace, safeguarding China's independence and sovereignty, opposing
hegemonism and power politics, defending world peace, and promoting human
progress. It works to develop relations between China and other
countries on the basis of the five principles of mutual respect for
sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression,
noninterference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual
benefit, and peaceful coexistence. It strives for the constant
development of good-neighborly relations between China and the
surrounding countries and for the strengthening of the unity and
cooperation between China and other developing countries. The Communist
Party of China develops relations with communist parties and other
political parties in other countries in accordance with the principles of
independence, complete equality, mutual respect and noninterference in
each other's internal affairs.
In order to lead the people of all ethnic groups in China in
attaining the great goal of socialist modernization, the Communist Party
of China must adhere to the Party's basic line in strengthening and
improving Party building, persist in the principle that the Party
exercises self-discipline and is strict with its members, and carry
forward its fine tradition and style of work. It must constantly
improve its art of leadership and governance, raise its ability to resist
corruption, prevent degeneration and withstand risks, constantly
strengthen its class foundation, expand its mass base and enhance its
creativity, cohesion and combat effectiveness, so that it will stand
forever in the forefront of the times and make itself a strong nucleus
that can lead all the Chinese people in the unceasing march along the
road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In building the Party,
we must be determined to meet the following four essential requirements:
First, adhering to the Party's basic line. The whole Party must
achieve unity in thinking and in action with Deng Xiaoping Theory, the
important thought of Three Represents and the Party's basic line and will
persevere in doing so for a long time to come. We must integrate the
reform and the open policy with the Four Cardinal Principles, carry out
the Party's basic line in all fields of endeavor, implement in an
all-round way the Party's basic program for the primary stage of
socialism and combat all " Left" or Right erroneous tendencies,
maintaining vigilance against Right tendencies, primarily against "Left"
tendencies. We must intensify the building of leading bodies at all
levels, selecting and promoting cadres who have scored outstanding
achievements in their public service and have won the trust of the masses
in the reform, opening up and the modernization drive, and train and
cultivate millions of successors to the cause of socialism, thus ensuring
organizationally the implementation of the Party's basic line and
program.
Second, persevering in emancipating the mind, seeking truth from
facts and keeping pace with the times. The Party's ideological line is
to proceed from reality in handling all matters, to integrate theory with
practice, to seek truth from facts, and to verify and develop the truth
through practice. Party members must adhere to this ideological line,
explore new ways, boldly experiment with new methods, go in for
innovation, work creatively, constantly study new situations, review new
experience and solve new problems, and enrich and develop Marxism in
practice.
Third, persevering in serving the people wholeheartedly. The Party
has no special interests of its own apart from the interests of the
working class and the broadest masses of the people. At all times the
Party gives top priority to the interests of the people, shares weal and
woe with them and keeps in closest contact with them, and it does not
allow any member to become divorced from the masses or place himself
above them. The Party follows the mass line in its work, doing
everything for the masses, relying on them in every task, carrying out
the principle "from the masses, to the masses", and translating its
correct views into conscious action of the masses. The biggest
political advantage of our Party lies in its close ties with the masses
while the biggest potential danger for it as a ruling party comes from
its divorce from them. The Party's style of work and its maintenance of
ties with the masses of the people are a matter of vital importance to
the Party, and the Party persistently opposes corruption, exerting great
efforts to improve its style of work and make itself clean and honest.
Fourth, upholding democratic centralism. Democratic centralism is a
combination of centralism on the basis of democracy and democracy under
centralized guidance. It is the fundamental organizational principle of
the Party and is also the mass line applied in the Party's political
activities. Within the Party, democracy and the initiative and
creativity of Party organizations at all levels as well as the vast
number of Party members must be given full play. Correct centralism
must be practiced so as to ensure concerted action in the whole Party and
prompt and effective implementation of its decisions. The sense of
organization and discipline must be strengthened, and all members are
equal before Party discipline. Supervision over leading organs of the
Party and over Party members holding leading positions must be
strengthened and the system of inner-Party supervision constantly
improved. In its internal political activities, the Party conducts
criticism and self-criticism in the correct way, waging ideological
struggles over matters of principles, upholding truth and rectifying
mistakes. Diligent efforts must be made to create a political situation
in which there are both centralism and democracy, both discipline and
freedom, both unity of will and personal ease of mind and liveliness.
Leadership by the Party means mainly political, ideological and
organizational leadership. The Party must meet the requirements of
reform, opening up and the socialist modernization drive and strengthen
and improve its leadership. Acting on the principle that the Party
commands the overall situation and coordinates the efforts of all
quarters, the Party must play the role as the core of leadership among
all other organizations at the corresponding levels. It must
concentrate on leading economic development, organize and coordinate all
forces in a concerted effort to focus on economic development. The
Party must practice democratic and scientific decision-making; formulate
and implement the correct line, principles and policies; do its
organizational, publicity and educational work well and make sure that
all Party members play an exemplary and vanguard role. The Party must
conduct its activities within the framework of the Constitution and other
laws. It must see to it that the legislative, judicial and administrative
organs of the state and the economic, cultural and people's organizations
work with initiative and independent responsibility and in harmony. The
Party must strengthen its leadership over the trade unions, the Communist
Youth League organizations, the women's federations and other mass
organizations, and give full scope to their roles. The Party must adapt
itself to the march of events and changing circumstances, improving its
system and style of leadership and raising its governing capacity.
Party members must work in close cooperation with the vast number of
non-Party people in the common endeavor to build socialism with Chinese
characteristics.
Chapter I
Membership
Article 1 Any Chinese worker, farmer, member of the armed forces,
intellectual or any advanced element of other social strata who has
reached the age of eighteen and who accepts the Party's Program and
Constitution and is willing to join and work actively in one of the Party
organizations, carry out the Party's decisions and pay membership dues
regularly may apply for membership in the Communist Party of China.
Article 2 Members of the Communist Party of China are vanguard
fighters of the Chinese working class imbued with communist
consciousness.
Members of the Communist Party of China must serve the people
wholeheartedly, dedicate their whole lives to the realization of
communism, and be ready to make any personal sacrifices.
Members of the Communist Party of China are at all times ordinary
members of the working people. Communist Party members must not seek
personal gain or privileges, although the relevant laws and policies
provide them with personal benefits and job- related functions and
powers.
Article 3 Party members must fulfill the following duties:
(1) To conscientiously study Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought,
Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, study
the Party's line, principles, policies and decisions, acquire essential
knowledge concerning the Party, obtain general, scientific and
professional knowledge and work diligently to enhance their ability to
serve the people.
(2) To implement the Party's basic line, principles and policies,
take the lead in reform, opening up and socialist modernization,
encourage the people to work hard for economic development and social
progress and play an exemplary and vanguard role in production, work,
study and social activities.
(3) To adhere to the principle that the interests of the Party and
the people stand above everything else, subordinating their personal
interests to the interests of the Party and the people, being the first
to bear hardships and the last to enjoy comforts, working selflessly for
the public interests and working to contribute more.
(4) To conscientiously observe the Party discipline, abide by the
laws and regulations of the state in an exemplary way, rigorously guard
secrets of the Party and state, execute the Party 's decisions, and
accept any job and actively fulfill any task assigned them by the Party.
(5) To uphold the Party's solidarity and unity, be loyal to and
honest with the Party, match words with deeds, firmly oppose all factions
and small-clique activities and oppose double-dealing and scheming of any
kind.
(6) To earnestly engage in criticism and self-criticism, boldly
expose and correct shortcomings and mistakes in work and resolutely
combat corruption and other malpractices.
(7) To maintain close ties with the masses, disseminate the Party's
views among them, consult with them when problems arise, keep the Party
informed of their views and demands in good time and defend their
legitimate interests.
(8) To promote new socialist ways and customs and advocate communist
ethics. To step forward and fight bravely in times of difficulty or
danger, daring to make any sacrifice to defend the interests of the
country and the people.
Article 4 Party members enjoy the following rights:
(1) To attend relevant Party meetings, read relevant Party documents,
and benefit from the Party's education and training.
(2) To participate in the discussion of questions concerning the
Party's policies at Party meetings and in Party newspapers and journals.
(3) To make suggestions and proposals regarding the work of the
Party.
(4) To make well-grounded criticism of any Party organization or
member at Party meetings, to present information or charges against any
Party organization or member concerning violations of discipline or the
law to the Party in a responsible way, to demand disciplinary measures
against such a member, or call for dismissal or replacement of any
incompetent cadre.
(5) To participate in voting and elections and to stand for election.
(6) To attend, with the right of self-defense, discussions held by
Party organizations to decide on disciplinary measures to be taken
against themselves or to appraise their work and behavior; other Party
members may also bear witness or argue on their behalf.
(7) In case of disagreement with a Party decision or policy, to make
reservations and present their views to Party organizations at higher
levels even up to the Central Committee, provided that they resolutely
carry out the decision or policy while it is in force.
(8) To put forward any request, appeal, or complaint to higher Party
organizations even up to the Central Committee and ask the organizations
concerned for a responsible reply.
No Party organization, up to and including the Central Committee, has
the right to deprive any Party member of the above- mentioned rights.
Article 5 New Party members must be admitted through a Party branch,
and the principle of individual admission must be adhered to.
An applicant for Party membership must fill in an application form
and be recommended by two full Party members. The application must be
accepted at a general membership meeting of the Party branch concerned
and approved by the next higher Party organization, and the applicant
must undergo observation for a probationary period before being granted
full membership.
Party members who recommend an applicant must make genuine efforts to
acquaint themselves with the applicant's ideology, character, personal
record and work performance and explain to each applicant the Party's
program and Constitution, qualifications for membership and the duties
and rights of members, and must make a responsible report to the Party
organization on the matter.
The Party branch committee must canvass the opinions of persons
concerned, inside and outside the Party, about an applicant for Party
membership and, after establishing the latter's qualification following
rigorous examination, submit the application to a general membership
meeting for discussion.
Before approving the admission of applicants for Party membership,
the next higher Party organization concerned must appoint people to talk
with them, in order to get to know them better and help deepen their
understanding of the Party.
In special circumstances, the Central Committee of the Party or the
Party committee of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly
under the Central Government may admit new Party members directly.
Article 6 A probationary Party member must take an admission oath in
front of the Party flag. The oath reads: It is my will to join the
Communist Party of China, uphold the Party's program, observe the
provisions of the Party Constitution, fulfill a Party member's duties,
carry out the Party's decisions, strictly observe Party discipline, guard
Party secrets, be loyal to the Party, work hard, fight for communism
throughout my life, be ready at all times to sacrifice my all for the
Party and the people, and never betray the Party.
Article 7 The probationary period of a probationary member is one
year. The Party organization should make serious efforts to educate and
observe the probationary members.
Probationary members have the same duties as full members. They
enjoy the rights of full members except those of participating in voting
and elections and standing for election.
Upon the expiration of the probationary period of a probationary
member, the Party branch concerned should promptly discuss whether he is
qualified for full membership. A probationary member who
conscientiously performs his duties and is qualified for full membership
shall be granted full membership as scheduled; if continued observation
and education are needed, the probationary period may be extended, but by
no more than one year; if a probationary member fails to perform his
duties and is found to be unqualified for full membership, his
probationary membership shall be annulled. Any decision to grant a
probationary member full membership, extend a probationary period, or
annul a probationary membership must be made through discussion held by
the general membership meeting of the Party branch concerned and approved
by the next higher Party organization.
The probationary period of a probationary member begins from the day
the general membership meeting of the Party branch admits him as a
probationary member. The Party standing of a member begins from the day
he is granted full membership on the expiration of the probationary
period.
Article 8 Every Party member, irrespective of position, must be
organized into a branch, cell or other specific unit of the Party to
participate in the regular activities of the Party organization and
accept supervision by the masses inside and outside the Party. Leading
Party cadres must attend democratic meetings held by the Party committee
or leading Party members' groups. There shall be no privileged Party
members who do not participate in the regular activities of the Party
organization and do not accept supervision by the masses inside and
outside the Party.
Article 9 Party members are free to withdraw from the Party. When a
Party member asks to withdraw, the Party branch concerned shall, after
discussion by its general membership meeting, remove his name from the
Party rolls, make the removal public and report it to the next higher
Party organization for the record.
The Party branch shall try to educate the Party member who lacks
revolutionary will, fails to fulfill the duties of a Party member, or is
not qualified for membership and require him to correct his mistakes
within the time. If he remains incorrigible after education, he should
be persuaded to withdraw from the Party. The case shall be discussed and
decided by the general membership meeting of the Party branch concerned
and submitted to the next higher Party organization for approval. If
the Party member being persuaded to withdraw refuses to do so, the case
shall be submitted to the general membership meeting of the Party branch
concerned for discussion to decide on the removal of his name from the
Party rolls, after which the decision shall be submitted to the next
higher Party organization for approval.
A Party member who fails to take part in regular Party activities,
pay membership dues or do work assigned by the Party for six successive
months without good reason is regarded as having given up membership.
The general membership meeting of the Party branch concerned shall decide
on the removal of such a person's name from the Party rolls and report it
to the next higher Party organization for approval.
Chapter II
Organization System of the Party
Article 10 The Party is an integral body organized under its program
and Constitution on the principle of democratic centralism. The basic
principles of democratic centralism as practiced by the Party are as
follows:
(1) Individual Party members are subordinate to the Party
organization, the minority is subordinate to the majority, the lower
Party organizations are subordinate to the higher Party organizations,
and all the constituent organizations and members of the Party are
subordinate to the National Congress and the Central committee of the
Party.
(2) The Party's leading bodies at all levels are elected except for
the representative organs dispatched by them and the leading Party
members' groups in non-Party organizations.
(3) The highest leading body of the Party is the National Congress
and the Central Committee elected by it. The leading bodies of local
Party organizations are the Party congresses at their respective levels
and the Party committees elected by them. Party committees are
responsible, and report their work, to the Party congresses at their
respective levels.
(4) Higher Party organizations shall pay constant attention to the
views of lower organizations and the rank-and-file Party members, and
solve in good time the problems they raise. Lower Party organizations
shall report on their work to, and request instructions from, higher
Party organizations; at the same time, they shall handle, independently
and in a responsible manner, matters within their jurisdiction. Higher
and lower Party organizations should exchange information and support and
supervise each other. Party organizations at all levels should enable
Party members to keep well informed of inner-Party affairs and to have as
many opportunities as possible to involve themselves in them.
(5) Party committees at all levels function on the principle of
combining collective leadership with individual responsibility based on
division of labor. All major issues shall be decided upon by the Party
committees after discussion in accordance with the principle of
collective leadership, democratic centralism, individual consultations
and decision by meetings. The members of the Party committees should
earnestly perform their duties in accordance with the collective
decisions taken and division of labor.
(6) The Party forbids all forms of personality cult. It is
necessary to ensure that the activities of the Party leaders are subject
to the supervision of the Party and the people, and at the same time to
uphold the prestige of all the leaders who represent the interests of the
Party and the people.
Article 11 The election of delegates to Party congresses and of
members of Party committees at all levels should reflect the will of the
voters. Elections shall be held by secret ballot. The lists of
candidates shall be submitted to the Party organizations and voters for
full deliberation and discussion. The election procedure in which the
number of candidates nominated is greater than the number of persons to
be elected may be used directly in a formal election or this procedure
may be used first in a preliminary election in order to draw up a list of
candidates for the formal election. The voters have the right to
inquire about the candidates, demand a change or reject one in favor of
another. No organization or individual shall in any way compel voters to
elect or not to elect any candidate.
If any violation of the Party Constitution occurs in the election of
delegates to a local Party congress or to Party congresses at the primary
level, the Party committee at the next higher level, after investigation
and verification, should decide to declare the election invalid and take
appropriate measures. The decision shall be reported to the Party
committee at the next higher level for checking and approval before it is
formally announced and implemented.
Article 12 When necessary, the Central Committee of the Party and the
local Party committees at all levels will convene conferences of
delegates to discuss and decide on major problems that require timely
solution. The number of delegates to such conferences and the procedure
governing their election shall be determined by the Party committees
convening them.
Article 13 The formation of a new Party organization or the
dissolution of an existing one shall be decided upon by the higher Party
organizations.
The Central Committee of the Party and the local Party committees at
all levels may send out their representative organs.
When the congress of a local Party organization at any level or the
congress of Party organization at the primary level is not in session,
the next higher Party organization may, when it deems it necessary,
transfer or appoint responsible members of that organization.
Article 14 When making decisions on important questions affecting the
lower organizations, the leading bodies of the Party at all levels
should, under normal circumstances, solicit opinions of the lower
organizations. Measures should be taken to ensure that the lower
organizations can exercise their functions and powers normally. Except
in special circumstances, higher leading bodies should not interfere with
matters that ought to be handled by lower organizations.
Article 15 Only the Central Committee of the Party has the power to
make decisions on major policies of a nationwide character. Party
organizations of various departments and localities may make suggestions
with regard to such policies to the Central Committee, but shall not make
any decisions or publicize their views outside the Party without
authorization.
Lower Party organizations must firmly implement the decisions of
higher Party organizations. If lower organizations consider that any
decisions of higher organizations do not suit the specific conditions in
their localities or departments, they may demand modification. If the
higher organizations insist on their original decisions, the lower
organizations must carry out such decisions and refrain from publicly
voicing their differences, but retain the right to report to the next
higher Party organization.
Newspapers, journals and other means of publicity run by Party
organizations at all levels must disseminate the line, principles,
policies and decisions of the Party.
Article 16 When discussing and making decisions on any matter, Party
organizations must keep to the principle of subordination of the minority
to the majority. A vote must be taken when major issues are decided on.
Serious consideration should be given to the differing views of a
minority. In case of controversy over major issues in which supporters
of the two opposing views are nearly equal in number, except in
emergencies where action must be taken in accordance with the majority
view, the decision should be put off to allow for further investigation,
study and exchange of opinions followed by another vote. Under special
circumstances, the controversy may be reported to the next higher Party
organization for a ruling.
When, on behalf of the Party organization, an individual Party member
is to express views on major issues beyond the scope of the existing
decisions of the Party organizations, the content must be referred to the
Party organization for prior discussion and decision, or referred to the
next higher Party organization for instructions. No Party member,
whatever his position, is allowed to make decisions on major issues on
his own. In an emergency, when a decision by an individual is
unavoidable, the matter must be reported to the Party organization
immediately afterwards. No leader is allowed to take decisions
arbitrarily on his own or to place himself above the Party organization.
Article 17 The central, local and primary organizations of the Party
must all pay great attention to Party building. They shall regularly
discuss and examine the Party's work in publicity, education,
organization and discipline inspection, its mass work and united front
work. They must carefully study ideological and political developments
inside and outside the Party.
Chapter III
Central Organizations of the Party
Article 18 The National Congress of the Party is held once every five
years and convened by the Central Committee. It may be convened before
the normally scheduled date if the Central Committee deems it necessary
or if more than one-third of the organizations at the provincial level so
request. Except under extraordinary circumstances, the Congress may not
be postponed.
The number of delegates to the National Congress of the Party and the
procedure governing their election shall be determined by the Central
Committee.
Article 19 The functions and powers of the National Congress of the
Party are as follows:
(1) To hear and examine the reports of the Central Committee;
(2) To hear and examine the reports of the Central Commission for
Discipline Inspection;
(3) To discuss and decide on major questions concerning the Party;
(4) To revise the Constitution of the Party;
(5) To elect the Central Committee; and
(6) To elect the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Article 20 The powers and functions of the National Conference of the
Party are as follows: to discuss and make decisions on major questions;
and to replace members and elect additional members of the Central
Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The
number of members and alternate members of the Central Committee to be
replaced or newly elected shall not exceed one-fifth of the respective
totals of members and alternate members of the Central Committee elected
by the National Congress of the Party.
Article 21 The Central Committee of the Party is elected for a term
of five years. However, when the next National Congress is convened
before or after its normally scheduled date, the term shall be
correspondingly shortened or extended. Members and alternate members of
the Central Committee must have a Party standing of five years or more.
The number of members and alternate members of the Central Committee
shall be determined by the National Congress. Vacancies on the Central
Committee shall be filled by its alternate members in the order of the
number of votes by which they were elected.
The Central Committee of the Party meets in plenary session at least
once a year, and such sessions are convened by its Political Bureau.
When the National Congress is not in session, the Central Committee
carries out its decisions, directs the entire work of the Party and
represents the Communist Party of China in its external relations.
Article 22 The Political Bureau, the Standing Committee of the
Political Bureau and the General Secretary of the Central Committee of
the Party are elected by the Central Committee in plenary session. The
General Secretary of the Central Committee must be a member of the
Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.
When the Central Committee is not in session, the Political Bureau
and its Standing Committee exercise the functions and powers of the
Central Committee.
The Secretariat of the Central Committee is the working body of the
Political Bureau of the Central Committee and its Standing Committee.
The members of the Secretariat are nominated by the Standing Committee of
the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and are subject to
endorsement by the Central Committee in plenary session.
The General Secretary of the Central Committee is responsible for
convening the meetings of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee
and presides over the work of the Secretariat.
The members of the Military Commission of the Central Committee are
decided on by the Central Committee.
The central leading bodies and leaders elected by each Central
Committee shall, when the next National Congress is in session, continue
to preside over the Party's day-to-day work until the new central leading
bodies and leaders are elected by the next Central Committee.
Article 23 Party organizations in the Chinese People's Liberation
Army carry on their work in accordance with the instructions of the
Central Committee. The political work organ of the Military Commission
of the Central Committee is the General Political Department of the
Chinese People's Liberation Army; the General Political Department
directs Party and political work in the army. The organizational system
and organs of the Party in the armed forces are prescribed by the
Military Commission of the Central Committee.
Chapter IV
Local Organizations of the Party
Article 24 The Party congress of a province, autonomous region,
municipality directly under the Central Government, city divided into
districts, or autonomous prefecture is held once every five years.
The Party congress of a county (banner), autonomous county, city not
divided into districts, or municipal district is held once every five
years.
Local Party congresses are convened by the Party committees at the
corresponding levels. Under extraordinary circumstances, they may be
held before or after their normally scheduled dates upon approval by the
next higher Party committees.
The number of delegates to the local Party congresses at any level
and the procedure governing their election are determined by the Party
committees at the corresponding levels and should be reported to the next
higher Party committees for approval.
Article 25 The functions and powers of the local Party congresses at
all levels are as follows:
(1) To hear and examine the reports of the Party committees at the
corresponding levels;
(2) To hear and examine the reports of the commissions for discipline
inspection at the corresponding levels;
(3) To discuss and decide on major issues in the given areas; and
(4) To elect the Party committees and commissions for discipline
inspection at the corresponding levels.
Article 26 The Party committee of a province, autonomous region,
municipality directly under the Central Government, city divided into
districts, or autonomous prefecture is elected for a term of five years.
The members and alternate members of such a committee must have a Party
standing of five years or more.
The Party committee of a county (banner), autonomous county, city not
divided into districts, or municipal district is elected for a term of
five years. The members and alternate members of such a committee must
have a Party standing of three years or more.
When local Party congresses at various levels are convened before or
after their normally scheduled dates, the terms of the committees elected
by the previous congresses shall be correspondingly shortened or
extended.
The number of members and alternate members of the local Party
committees at various levels shall be determined by the next higher
committees. Vacancies on the local Party committees at various levels
shall be filled by their alternate members in the order of the number of
votes by which they were elected.
The local Party committees at various levels meet in plenary session
at least twice a year.
Local Party committees at various levels shall, when the Party
congresses of the given areas are not in session, carry out the
directives of the next higher Party organizations and the decisions of
the Party.
Congresses at the corresponding levels, direct work in their own
areas and report on it to the next higher Party committees at regular
intervals.
Article 27 Local Party committees at various levels elect, at their
plenary sessions, their standing committees, secretaries and deputy
secretaries and report the results to the higher Party committees for
approval. The standing committees of local Party committees at various
levels exercise the powers and functions of local Party committees when
the latter are not in session. They continue to handle the day-to-day
work when the next Party congresses at their levels are in session, until
the new standing committees are elected.
Article 28 A prefectural Party committee, or an organization
analogous to it, is the representative organ dispatched by a provincial
or an autonomous regional Party committee to a prefecture covering
several counties, autonomous counties or cities. It exercises
leadership over the work in the given region as authorized by the
provincial or autonomous regional Party committee.
Chapter V
Primary Organizations of the Party
Article 29 Primary Party organizations are formed in enterprises,
rural areas, government departments, schools, scientific research
institutes, communities, mass organizations, intermediaries, companies of
the People's Liberation Army and other basic units, where there are at
least three full Party members.
In primary organizations, primary Party committees and committees of
general Party branches or Party branches are set up as the work requires
and according to the number of Party members, subject to approval by the
higher Party organizations. A primary Party committee is elected by a
general membership meeting or a delegate meeting. The committee of a
general Party branch or a Party branch is elected by a general membership
meeting.
Article 30 A Primary Party committee is elected for a term of three
to five years, while a general Party branch committee or a Party branch
committee is elected for a term of two or three years. Results of the
election of a secretary and deputy secretaries by a primary Party
committee, general branch committee or branch committee shall be reported
to the higher Party organizations for approval.
Article 31 The primary Party organizations are militant bastions of
the Party in the basic units of society, where all the Party's work
proceeds and they serve as the foundation of its fighting capacity.
Their main tasks are:
(1) To disseminate and carry out the Party's line, principles and
policies, the decisions of the Central Committee of the Party and other
higher Party organizations, and their own decisions; to give full play to
the exemplary, vanguard role of Party members, and to unite and organize
the cadres and the rank of file inside and outside the Party to fulfill
the tasks of their own units.
(2) To organize Party members to conscientiously study Marxism-
Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought
of Three Represents, the Party's line, principles, policies and
decisions, acquire essential knowledge concerning the Party and obtain
general, scientific and professional knowledge.
(3) To educate and supervise Party members, raise the overall quality
of the Party membership, cultivate their Party spirit, ensure their
regular participation in the activities of the Party organizations, make
criticism and self-criticism, maintain and observe Party discipline, see
that Party members truly fulfill their duties and protect their rights
from encroachment.
(4) To maintain close ties with the masses, constantly seek their
criticisms and opinions regarding Party members and the Party's work,
safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the masses and do
effective ideological and political work among them.
(5) To give full scope to the initiative and creativeness of Party
members and the masses and to discover, nurture and recommend fine,
talented people from among Party members and the masses and encourage
them to contribute their skills and learning to the reform, opening up
and the socialist modernization drive.
(6) To educate and train the activists who apply for Party
membership, attend to the routine work concerning the recruitment of new
members and attach great importance to recruiting Party members from
among those in the forefront of production and work and from among young
people.
(7) To see to it that Party and non-Party cadres strictly observe the
law and administrative discipline and the financial and economic statutes
and personnel regulations of the state and that none of them infringe on
the interests of the state, the collective or the masses.
(8) To encourage Party members and the masses to conscientiously
resist unhealthy practices and wage resolute struggles against all
illegal and criminal activities.
Article 32 The primary Party committees in communities, townships and
towns and the Party organizations in villages and communities provide
leadership for the work in their localities and assist administrative
departments, economic institutions and self-governing mass organizations
in fully exercising their functions and powers.
In a state-owned or collective enterprise, the primary Party
organization acts as the political nucleus and works for the operation of
the enterprise. The primary Party organization guarantees and
supervises the implementation of the principles and policies of the Party
and the state in its own enterprise and backs the meeting of
shareholders, board of directors, board of supervisors and manager
(factory director) in the exercise of their functions and powers
according to law. It relies wholeheartedly on the workers and office
staff, supports the work of the congresses of representatives of workers
and office staff and participates in making final decisions on major
questions in the enterprise. It works to improve its own organization
and provides leadership over ideological and political work, efforts for
cultural and ethical progress and the trade unions, the Communist Youth
League and other mass organizations.
In a non-public economic institution, the primary Party organization
carries out the Party's principles and policies, provides guidance to and
supervises the enterprise in observing the laws and regulations of the
state, exercises leadership over the trade union, the Communist Youth
League organization and other mass organizations, rallies the workers and
office staff around it, safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of
all quarters and stimulates the healthy development of the enterprise.
In an institution where the administrative leaders assume full
responsibility, the primary Party organization acts as the political
nucleus. In an institution where the administrative leaders assume full
responsibility under the leadership of the Party committee, the primary
Party organization discusses and decides on major issues and at the same
time ensures that the administrative leaders are able to fully exercise
their functions and powers.
In offices of the Party or the state at all levels, the primary Party
organizations assist the chief administrators in fulfilling their tasks
and improving their work. They exercise supervision over all Party
members, including the chief administrators who are Party members, but do
not direct the work of their units.
Chapter VI
Party Cadres
Article 33 Party cadres are the backbone of the Party's cause and
public servants of the people. The Party selects its cadres according
to the principle that they should possess both political integrity and
professional competence, adheres to the practice of appointing people on
their merits and opposes favoritism; it exerts genuine efforts to make
the ranks of the cadres more revolutionary, younger in average age,
better educated and more professionally competent.
The Party attaches great importance to education, training, selection
and assessment of cadres, especially to the training and selection of
outstanding young cadres. The Party actively promotes the reform of the
cadre system.
The Party attaches great importance to the training and promotion of
women cadres and cadres from among the ethnic minorities.
Article 34 Leading Party cadres at all levels must show exemplary
performance in carrying out their duties as Party members prescribed in
Article 3 of this Constitution and must meet the following basic
requirements:
(1) Know Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping
Theory well enough to perform their duties, earnestly put the important
thought of Three Represents into practice, try hard to analyze and solve
practical problems with the stand, viewpoint and methods of Marxism, keep
stressing study, political awareness and integrity, and be able to stand
the test of all trials and tribulations.
(2) Have the grand ideal of communism and firm conviction in
socialism with Chinese characteristics, firmly implement the Party 's
basic line, principles and policies, be determined to carry out the
reform and opening to the outside world, devote themselves to the cause
of modernization and work hard to start undertakings and make solid
achievements in socialist construction.
(3) Persist in emancipating their minds, seeking truth from facts,
keeping pace with the times and blazing new trails in a pioneering
spirit; conduct earnest investigations and studies so as to be able to
integrate the Party's principles and policies with the actual conditions
in their localities or departments and work efficiently; tell the truth,
do practical work, seek tangible results and oppose formalism.
(4) Be fervently dedicated to the revolutionary cause and imbued with
a strong sense of political responsibility, have practical experience,
and be qualified for leading posts in organizational ability, general
education and vocational knowledge.
(5) Properly exercise the power invested in them by the people,
handle matters according to law, be upright and clean and work diligently
for the people, set an example by their own actions, work hard and live
simply, maintain close ties with the masses, uphold the Party's mass
line, conscientiously accept the criticism and supervision of the Party
and the masses, exercise self-respect, self-examination, self-caution and
self-motivation, combat bureaucratism, and fight against malpractices
such as abuse of power for personal gain.
(6) Uphold the Party's system of democratic centralism, maintain a
democratic style of work, take the overall situation into consideration,
and be good at uniting and working with other comrades, including those
who hold differing opinions.
Article 35 Party cadres should be able to cooperate with non- Party
cadres, respect them and be open-minded in learning from their strong
points.
Party organizations at all levels must be good at discovering and
recommending talented non-Party cadres with practical learning for
leading posts, and ensure that the latter enjoy authority commensurate
with their posts and can fully play their roles.
Article 36 Leading Party cadres at all levels, whether elected
through democratic procedure or appointed by a leading body, are not
entitled to lifelong tenure, and they can be transferred from or relieved
of their posts.
Cadres no longer fit to continue working due to old age or poor
health should retire according to the regulations of the state.
Chapter VII
Party Discipline
Article 37 Party discipline refers to the rules of conduct that must
be observed by Party organizations at all levels and by all Party
members. It is the guarantee that the unity and solidarity of the Party
are safeguarded and that the tasks of the Party are accomplished. Party
organizations must strictly observe and maintain Party discipline. A
Communist Party member must conscientiously act within the bounds of
Party discipline.
Article 38 Party organizations should criticize, educate or take
disciplinary measures against members who violate Party discipline,
depending on the nature and seriousness of their mistakes and in the
spirit of "learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones, and curing
the sickness to save the patient".
Party members who have seriously violated criminal law shall be
expelled from the Party.
It is strictly forbidden in the Party to take any measures against a
member that contravene the Party Constitution or the laws of the state,
or to retaliate against or frame a member. Any offending organization
or individual must be dealt with according to Party discipline and the
laws of the state.
Article 39 There are five measures for enforcing Party discipline:
warning, serious warning, removal from Party posts, probation within the
Party, and expulsion from the Party.
The period for which a Party member is placed on probation shall not
exceed two years. During that period, the Party member concerned has no
right to participate in voting or elections or stand for election. A
Party member who during that time truly rectifies his mistake shall have
his rights as a Party member restored. Party members who refuse to mend
their ways shall be expelled from the Party.
Expulsion is the ultimate Party disciplinary measure. In deciding
on or approving an expulsion, Party organizations at all levels should
study all the relevant facts and opinions and exercise extreme caution.
Article 40 Any disciplinary measure to be taken against a Party
member must be discussed and decided on at a general membership meeting
of the Party branch concerned, and reported to the primary Party
committee concerned for approval. If the case is relatively important
or complicated, or involves the expulsion of a member, it shall be
reported to a Party commission for discipline inspection at or above the
county level for examination and approval, in accordance with the
specific situation. Under special circumstances, a Party committee or a
commission for discipline inspection at or above the county level has the
authority to decide directly on disciplinary measures to be taken against
a Party member.
Any decision to remove a member or alternate member of the Central
Committee or a local committee at any level from his posts within the
Party, to place such a person on probation within the Party or to expel
him from the Party must be approved by a two- thirds majority vote at a
plenary meeting of the Party committee to which he belongs. In special
circumstances, the decision may be taken first by the Standing Committee
of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee or the standing
committee of a local Party committee, pending confirmation at the plenary
meeting of the Party committee. Such a disciplinary measure against a
member or alternate member of a local Party committee is subject to
approval by the higher Party committee.
A member or alternate member of the Central Committee who has
seriously violated the criminal law shall be expelled from the Party on
decision by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee; a member or
alternate member of a local Party committee who has seriously violated
criminal law shall be expelled from the Party on decision by the standing
committee of the Party committee at the corresponding level.
Article 41 When a Party organization is deciding on a disciplinary
measure against a Party member, it should investigate and verify the
facts in an objective way. The Party member in question must be
informed of a decision regarding any disciplinary measure to be taken and
of the facts on which it is based. The person concerned must be given a
chance to account for himself and speak in his own defense. If the
member does not accept the decision, he can appeal, and the Party
organization concerned must promptly deal with or forward his appeal, and
must not withhold or suppress it. Those who cling to erroneous views
and unjustifiable demands shall be educated by criticism.
Article 42 If a Party organization fails to uphold Party discipline,
it must be investigated.
In case a Party organization seriously violates Party discipline and
is unable to rectify the mistake on its own, the next higher Party
committee should, after verifying the facts and considering the
seriousness of the case, decide on the reorganization or dissolution of
the organization, report the decision to the Party committee at the next
higher level for examination and approval, and then formally announce and
carry out the decision.
Chapter VIII
Party Organs for Discipline Inspection
Article 43 The Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
functions under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Party.
The Party's local commissions for discipline inspection at all levels and
primary commissions for discipline inspection function under the dual
leadership of the Party committees at the corresponding levels and the
next higher commissions for discipline inspection.
The Party's commissions for discipline inspection at all levels serve
a term of the same duration as the Party committees at the corresponding
levels.
The Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection elects, in
plenary session, its standing committee, secretary and deputy secretaries
and reports the results to the Central Committee for approval. Local
commissions for discipline inspection at all levels elect, at their
plenary sessions, their respective standing committees, secretaries and
deputy secretaries. The results of the elections are subject to
endorsement by the Party committees at the corresponding levels and
should be reported to the next higher Party committees for approval.
The question of whether a primary Party committee should set up a
commission for discipline inspection or simply appoint a discipline
inspection commissioner shall be determined by the next higher Party
organization in light of the specific circumstances. The committees of
general Party branches and Party branches shall have discipline
inspection commissioners.
The Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection shall, when
its work so requires, accredit discipline inspection groups or
commissioners to Party or state organs at the central level. Leaders of
the discipline inspection groups or discipline inspection commissioners
may attend relevant meetings of the leading Party organizations in the
said organs as non-voting participants. The leading Party organizations
in the organs concerned must support their work.
Article 44 The main tasks of the Party's commissions for discipline
inspection at all levels are as follows: to uphold the Constitution and
other statutes of the Party, to check up on the implementation of the
line, principles, policies and decisions of the Party and to assist the
respective Party committees in improving the Party's style of work and in
organizing and coordinating the work against corruption.
The commissions for discipline inspection at all levels shall
frequently provide education for Party members on their duty to observe
Party discipline and adopt decisions for the upholding of Party
discipline; they shall supervise Party members holding leading positions
in exercising their power; they shall examine and deal with relatively
important or complicated cases of violation of the Constitution or other
statutes of the Party by Party organizations or Party members and decide
on or rescind disciplinary measures against Party members involved in
such cases; they shall deal with complaints and appeals made by Party
members; and they shall guarantee the rights of Party members.
The commissions for discipline inspection at all levels shall report
to the Party committees at the corresponding levels on the results of
their handling of cases of special importance or complexity, as well as
on the problems encountered. The local commissions for discipline
inspection at all levels and primary commissions for discipline
inspection shall also present such reports to the higher commissions.
If a commission for discipline inspection at any level discovers any
violation of Party discipline by a member of the Party committee at the
corresponding level, it may take the initial step of verifying the facts
and, if it is necessary to put a case on file, it should report to the
Party committee at the corresponding level for approval, and if a member
of the standing committee of the Party committee is involved, it should
first report to the Party committee at the corresponding level and then
to the commission for discipline inspection at the next higher level for
approval.
Article 45 Higher commissions for discipline inspection have the
power to examine the work of the lower commissions and to approve or
modify their decisions on any case. If decisions so modified have
already been ratified by the Party committee at the corresponding level,
the modification must be approved by the next higher Party committee.
If a local commission for discipline inspection or a primary
commission for discipline inspection does not agree with a decision made
by the Party committee at the corresponding level in dealing with a case,
it may demand the commission at the next higher level to reexamine the
case; if a local or primary commission discovers cases of violation of
Party discipline by the Party committee at the corresponding level or by
its members, and if that Party committee fails to deal with them properly
or at all, it has the right to appeal to the higher commission for
assistance in dealing with such cases.
Chapter IX
Leading Party Members' Groups
Article 46 A leading Party members' group may be formed in the
leading body of a central or local state organ, people's organization,
economic or cultural institution or other non-Party unit. The group
plays the role of the core of leadership. Its main tasks are: to see to
it that the Party's line, principles and policies are implemented, to
discuss and decide on matters of major importance in its unit, to do well
in managing affairs concerning cadres, to unite with the non-Party cadres
and the masses in fulfilling the tasks assigned by the Party and the
state and to guide the work of the Party organization of the unit and
those directly under it.
Article 47 The composition of a leading Party members' group is
decided by the Party organization that approves its establishment. The
group shall have a secretary and, if necessary, deputy secretaries.
A leading Party members' group must accept the leadership of the
Party organization that approves its establishment.
Article 48 Party committees may be set up in state organs which
exercise centralized leadership over their subordinate units. The Central
Committee of the Party shall provide the specific procedure for their
establishment and define their functions, powers and tasks.
Chapter X
Relationship Between the Party and the Communist Youth League
Article 49 The Communist Youth League of China is a mass organization
of advanced young people under the leadership of the Communist Party of
China; it is a school where a large number of young people learn about
socialism with Chinese characteristics and about communism through
practice; it is the Party's assistant and reserve force. The Central
Committee of the Communist Youth League functions under the leadership of
the Central Committee of the Party. The local chapters of the Communist
Youth League are under the leadership of the Party committees at the
corresponding levels and of the higher organizations of the League
itself.
Article 50 Party committees at all levels must strengthen their
leadership over the Communist Youth League organizations and pay
attention to selecting and training League cadres. The Party must
firmly support the Communist Youth League in the lively and creative
performance of its work to suit the characteristics and needs of young
people, and give full play to the League's role as a shock force and as a
bridge linking the Party with great numbers of young people.
Those secretaries of League committees at or below the county level
or in enterprises and institutions who are Party members may attend
meetings of Party committees at the corresponding levels and meetings of
their standing committees as non-voting participants.
Chapter XI
Party Emblem and Flag
Article 51 The emblem of the Communist Party of China is a design of
sickle and hammer.
Article 52 The flag of the Communist Party of China is a red flag
highlighted by a golden Party emblem on it.
Article 53 The Party emblem and flag are the symbol and sign of the
Communist Party of China. Party organizations at all levels and all
Party members shall safeguard the sanctity of the Party emblem and flag.
Party emblems and flags should be made and used according to
regulations.
[Description of Source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official
news service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency)]
"Explanations on Amendment To CPC Constitution"
[FBIS Transcribed Text] Beijing, Nov. 18 (XINHUA) -- Following is the
explanations by the leading official of the secretariat of the 16th
National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the Amendment
to the Constitution of the CPC, which was adopted on Nov. 14 at the
Congress.
The official made the explanations during an interview with Xinhua.
Basic reasons for revising the Party Constitution
The Party Constitution currently in force was adopted at the Twelfth
National Congress of the CPC in September 1982. In accordance with the
changing situation and tasks, revisions were made in some of the articles
at the Thirteenth National Congress in November 1987 and in the General
Program and some of the articles at the Fourteenth National Congress in
October 1992, and very few revisions were made in the General Program at
the Fifteenth National Congress in September 1997.
Since the Fifteenth National Congress, historic progress has been
registered in China's reform, opening up and socialist modernization
drive as the socialist market economy has initially taken shape, the
strategic objectives for the second step of the modernization drive have
been attained, and on the whole, the people have reached a well-off
standard of living. Since the beginning of the new century, China has
been in a new stage of development for building a well-off society in an
all-round way and accelerating socialist modernization. The Party has
set new objectives for development and worked out a new program of action
at the new stage in the new century, which necessitates changes in the
relevant parts of the Party Constitution.
During these years, fresh progress has been made in the building of
our Party, and new valuable experience has been accumulated in this
regard. In particular, the important thought of Three Represents put
forward by Comrade Jiang Zemin is a concentrated reflection of the
fundamental requirements arising from the changes in China and other
parts of the world today for strengthening Party building and promoting
the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, and
constitutes a new development in the Marxist theory of Party building.
All this necessitates a revision of the Constitution, to include the
important thought of Three Represents in it.
The general principle followed in the current revision of the
Constitution is to uphold the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong
Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the Party's basic line, conscientiously
implement the important thought of Three Represents and include in the
Constitution the major theoretical viewpoints and major principles and
policies established in Comrade Jiang Zemin's report to the Sixteenth
National Congress, so as to meet the new requirements arising from the
new situation and tasks for the work of the Party and Party building.
Formulated on the basis of an all-round review of our Party's
historical experience and in accordance with the specific conditions of
the socialist modernization drive, the Constitution currently in force is
viable by and large for guiding Party building. Therefore, minor
revisions, not major ones, should be made in the Constitution. Proposed
revisions from all quarters concerned have been accepted only if they
proved to be mature in practice, and the immature ones have been
rejected. The revision made this time highlights the role of the
important thought of Three Represents in guiding the Party's work and
Party building in the new situation. The revision, in keeping pace with
the times and the spirit of reform and innovation, made some appropriate
revisions and supplements, while keeping the framework of the Party
Constitution unchanged. This is aimed at maintaining the authority and
continuity of the Party Constitution. And this enables the Party
Constitution to provide better guidance on the work of the Party and
Party building, both at present and in a period to come.
Inclusion of the important thought of Three Represents in the Party
Constitution
The important thought of Three Represents put forward by Comrade
Jiang Zemin has become a deep-rooted consensus of the whole Party. The
important thought of Three Represents is included in the Party
Constitution to meet the fundamental requirements of the Party in
improving its leadership and governance of the state, the objective needs
of advancing the cause of building socialism with Chinese
characteristics, and the common wish of all comrades of the Party.
Added to the General Program are statements about the historical
process since the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Central
Committee of the Party and the expounding of the historical position and
significant role of the important thought of Three Represents.
Additions have been made to the 2nd and 19th paragraphs of the General
Program and a new 6th paragraph has been written, fully affirming the
work of the Party and the achievements in Party building in the 13 years
since the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Party Central
Committee. Also expounded are the practical basis and theoretical
sources of the important thought of Three Represents. In the practice
of building socialism with Chinese characteristics over the 13 years, the
Chinese Communists, with Comrade Jiang Zemin as their chief
representative, have acquired a deeper understanding of what socialism
is, how to build it and what kind of a party to build and how to build
it, accumulated new valuable experience in running the Party and state
and formed the important thought of Three Represents. The amended
Constitution has expounded the historical position and significant role
of the important thought of Three Represents, pointing out that the
thought is a continuation and development of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong
Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory, that it reflects the new requirements
for the work of the Party and state arising from the changes in China and
other parts of the world today, that it serves as a powerful theoretical
weapon for strengthening and improving Party building and for promoting
self-improvement and development of socialism in China, that it is the
crystallized, collective wisdom of the CPC and that it is a guiding
ideology that the Party must uphold for a long time to come. Persistent
implementation of the "Three Represents" is the foundation for building
our Party, the cornerstone for its governance and the source of its
strength. The amended Constitution stresses that our Party must take
Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the
important thought of Three Represents as its guide to action. The whole
Party must achieve unity in thinking and in action with Deng Xiaoping
Theory, the important thought of Three Represents and the Party's basic
line.
Additions relating to the articles include: In Article 3, the duties
of Party members are expanded to include the study of the important
thought of Three Represents; in Article 31, the tasks of the primary
Party organizations now include organizing Party members to
conscientiously study the important thought of Three Represents; in
Article 34, the earnest implementation of the important thought of Three
Represents is added to the basic requirements for leading Party cadres at
all levels.
Further expounding the nature of the Party
The 1st paragraph of the General Program has been revised as follows:
"The Communist Party of China is the vanguard both of the Chinese working
class and of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. It is the core
of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and
represents the development trend of China's advanced productive forces,
the orientation of China's advanced culture and the fundamental interests
of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people. The realization of
communism is the highest ideal and ultimate goal of the Party." This
definition of the nature of the Party accords with its past and present
and the requirements of our times. It is conducive for the Party to
maintain its nature of the vanguard of the working class, to enhance the
class foundation of the Party, to extend the coverage of the work of the
Party, and to expand the mass foundation of the Party; and it helps all
comrades of the Party to profoundly understand and carry out the Party's
historical mission, and to rally and lead the people in a joint effort to
build socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Making new summary of the Marxist-Leninist theses of the laws
governing the development of human society in light of the specific
conditions in China
The 3rd paragraph of the General Program has been rewritten in light
of the practice of socialism for nearly a century and in response to the
profound changes in the domestic and international situation in current
years. The amended Constitution stresses that the basic tenets of
Marxism-Leninism are correct and have tremendous vitality, that the
highest ideal of communism pursued by Chinese Communists can be realized
only when the socialist society is fully developed and very advanced, and
that the development and improvement of the socialist system is a long
historical process. It stresses that, so long as the Chinese Communists
uphold the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism and follow the road suited to
China's specific conditions and chosen by the Chinese people of their own
accord, the socialist cause in China will be crowned with final victory.
This formulation emphasizes that the CPC will, as always, uphold the
basic tenets of Marxism- Leninism and its maximum program and at the same
time integrate the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism with China's practice
and lead the people of all ethnic groups around the country in following
their own road confidently and building socialism with Chinese
characteristics.
New supplements to the General Program on the strategic objectives
and guiding principles for China's economic and social development at the
new stage in the new century
Since the Fifteenth National Congress of the CPC, the reform and
opening up have been deepened, and the targets set by the Party for the
20th century have been met. To meet the needs of China's economic and
social development at the new stage in the new century, the following
supplements have been made to the General Program.
Specifying the objectives of building a well-off society in an
all-round way in the first 20 years of this century. The 7th paragraph
of the General Program of the revised version points out: development is
our Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country; the
strategic objectives of economic and social development at the new stage
in the new century are to consolidate and develop the well-off standard
of living initially attained, bring China into a well-off society of a
higher level to the benefit of well over one billion people by the time
of the Party's centenary and bring the per capita GDP up to the level of
moderately developed countries and realize modernization in the main by
the time of the centenary of the People's Republic of China.
Adding statements on China's basic economic system and development at
the primary stage of socialism. The 7th paragraph of the General
Program of the revised version points out: China is at the primary stage
of socialism and will remain so for a long period of time; we must uphold
and improve the basic economic system, with public ownership playing a
dominant role and diverse forms of ownership developing side by side; we
must keep and improve the system of distribution under which distribution
according to work is dominant and a variety of modes of distribution
coexist. The wording of implementation of the strategy of rejuvenating
the country through science and education and that of sustainable
development has been added to the 9th paragraph of the General Program.
Added to the 11th paragraph are the wording that reform and opening up
are the only way to make our country strong, and that we must ... keep
and improve a socialist market economy.
Adding statements on ruling the country by law and building a
socialist country under the rule of law. At its Fifteenth National
Congress, the Party summed up its historical experience, particularly
that gained in ruling the country since the Third Plenary Session of the
Eleventh Party Central Committee, and put forward the basic principle of
ruling the country by law and the important task of building a socialist
country under the rule of law. At its Sixteenth National Congress, the
Party has further proposed to develop socialist democracy and build
socialist political civilization; it has elucidated the unity of
leadership by the Party, the people being masters of the country and the
ruling of the country by law, stressing the need to persevere in their
integration and dialectic unity, and to keep building socialist
democracy. Addition of these points in the 12th paragraph of the
General Program in the amended Constitution shows that the CPC and the
Chinese people have full confidence in the road of political development
they have chosen and it will help all the Party members further enhance
their awareness of the legal system, foster their sense of exercising
state power according to law and consciously conduct activities within
the framework of the Constitution of the state and other laws.
Adding statements on the combination of ruling the country by law and
ruling the country by virtue. The 13th paragraph of the General Program
in the amended Constitution has included the statement that the CPC leads
the people in their effort to build spiritual civilization as well as
material and political civilizations, and to combine ruling the country
by law and ruling the country by virtue.
Setting new requirements for Party building and its leadership
In the new century, continuing to advance the modernization
construction, accomplishing the great cause of reunification of the
motherland and safeguarding world peace and promoting the common
development constitute three major historical tasks the CPC shoulders.
In light of the Party's tasks, the Constitution has substantiated the
content and requirements of Party building in the General Program. It
has pointed out clearly that the Party must adhere to its basic line in
strengthening and improving Party building; that it must persist in
exercising self-discipline and being strict with its members, constantly
improve its art of leadership and governance, raise its ability to resist
corruption, prevent degeneration and withstand risks, constantly
strengthen its class foundation, expand its mass base and enhance its
creativity, cohesion and combat effectiveness so that our Party will
stand forever in the forefront of the times; that the whole party must
use Deng Xiaoping theory, the important thought of the "Three Represents"
and the Party's Basic line to unify thinking, unify actions and
unswervingly persist in doing so for a long time; that all Party members
must persevere in emancipating their minds, seeking truth from facts and
keeping pace with the times and, acting in accordance with the Party's
ideological line, explore new ways, boldly experiment with new methods
and go in for innovation; that the biggest political advantage of our
Party lies in its close ties with the masses while the biggest potential
danger for it as a ruling party comes from its divorce from them; and
that supervision over leading organs of the Party and over Party members
holding leading positions must be strengthened and the system of
inner-Party supervision constantly improved.
With regard to the basic requirements for the Party's leadership, the
new wording is included to the effect that acting on the principle that
the Party commands the overall situation and coordinates the efforts of
all quarters, the Party must play the role as the core of leadership
among all other organizations at the corresponding levels, and that the
Party must improve its system of leadership and raise its governing
capacity.
At the same time, in order to further improve the basic system of
discussing matters and making decisions within Party committees and make
the decision-making more scientific and democratic, Item 5, Article 10 in
Chapter II has been revised and improved to make it clear that all major
issues shall be decided upon by Party committees after discussion in
accordance with the principle of collective leadership, democratic
centralism, individual consultations and decision by meetings.
In line with the actual establishment of leading Party members'
groups and the work they have been carrying out in recent years, new
provisions for the status and tasks of leading Party members' groups have
specified. Added to Article 46 in Chapter IX is a reference to giving
play to the role of leading Party members' groups as the core of
leadership. Added to the tasks of leading Party members' groups is a
reference to doing well in managing affairs concerning cadres.
In Article 47, the wording "The members of a leading Party members'
group are appointed by the Party committee that approves its
establishment" and "A leading Party members' group must accept the
leadership of the Party committee that approves its establishment" has
been revised as "The composition of a leading Party members' group is
decided by the Party organization that approves its establishment" and "A
leading Party members' group must accept the leadership of the Party
organization that approves its establishment".
The new requirements the Party Constitution has set forth for Party
building and its leadership have implemented the important thought of the
"Three Represents", summed up the practical experience in recent years
and conformed with the development of the situation to facilitate doing a
still better job in the building of our Party, so that the all-round
implementation of the Party's basic line and smooth development of
socialism with Chinese characteristics will be guaranteed.
Proper revisions have been made for Party member applicants. Article
1 in Chapter I has been revised as follows: Any Chinese worker, farmer,
member of the armed forces, intellectual or any advanced element of other
social strata who has reached the age of eighteen and who accepts the
Party's Program and Constitution and is willing to join and work actively
in one of the Party organizations, carry out the Party's decisions and
pay membership dues regularly may apply for membership in the Communist
Party of China. This is beneficial to strengthening the Party's class
foundation, expanding its mass base and enhancing its cohesion and
influence in society at large.
Item 1, Article 3 in Chapter I clearly included into the obligations
Party members must implement the conscientious study of Marxism-Leninism,
Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of
"Three Represents" and observation of the Party discipline and abide by
the laws and regulations of the state in an exemplary way.
Added to Article 34, Chapter VI, is a reference to the need of
earnestly putting the important thought of Three Represents into
practice, constantly stressing study, political awareness and integrity
and being able to stand the test of all trials and tribulations; a
reference to the lofty ideal of communism and firm conviction in
socialism with Chinese characteristics; a reference to emancipating the
mind, keeping pace with the times, blazing new trails in a pioneering
spirit and working efficiently; a reference to the requirement of
handling matters according to law and exercising self-respect,
self-examination, self-caution and self- motivation.
These provisions in the Party Constitution on the essential
requirements for leading Party cadres at all levels better accord with
the requirements for the times and the reality of strengthening the
contingent of cadres.
Supplementing and revising regulations concerning primary
organizations of the Party.
In accordance with the new practice in their work, new tasks and
requirements have been set forth primary Party organizations for their
building in Article 29, Article 30, Article 31 and Article 32 in Chapter
V.
The Article 29 adds contents concerning the importance of
establishing primary Party organizations in communities, mass
organizations and intermediaries. This helps Party organizations and
Party work to cover all spheres of society effectively and efficiently.
In Article 30, as it has been revised, provides that a primary Party
committee is elected for a term of three to five years instead of the
previously prescribed three or four years. The revision makes it
possible for the term of office of township or town Party committees or
other relevant Party committees to tally with the term of office of Party
committees at a higher level. As for what types of primary Party
committees have a five-year term of office, additional specifications
will be worked out.
In Item 6, Article 31, the wording "attach great importance to
admitting outstanding workers, farmers and intellectuals in the forefront
of production and work" is revised as "attach great importance to
recruiting Party members from among those in the forefront of production
and work and from young people". The revision highlights the priority
in the recruitment of new Party members and better accords with the
reality of our Party membership recruitment.
In Article 32, the term "village Party branches" has been replaced by
"Party organizations in villages and communities". The main
consideration for the revision is that along with the economic and social
development in rural areas, some localities have adjusted the
institutional setup of some village Party organizations in light of the
needs of their work and the number of Party members, establishing a
number of village Party committees or general village Party branches.
The term of "village Party organizations" replacing "village Party
branches" better accords with the reality in rural areas today. An
explicit provision of the leadership of community Party organizations
over community work is beneficial to reinforcing the organizational
foundation for the Party's work in urban areas.
In Article 32, the term "primary Party organization in an enterprise
owned by the whole people" has been revised as "primary Party
organization in a state-owned or collective enterprise", and the wording
that the Party organization "backs the factory director (manager) in the
exercise of his functions and powers according to law" has been replaced
by "backs the meeting of shareholders, board of directors, board of
supervisors and manager (factory director) in the exercise of their
functions and powers according to law". The revision has also made it
clear that they shall provide the leadership for cultural and ethical
progress. The revision is conducive to giving better guidance to Party
building in state-owned and collective enterprises and promoting their
reform and development.
A new provision for the role of a primary Party organization in a
non-public economic institution has been added to Article 32. It
provides explicitly that the primary Party organization in a non- public
economic institution carries out the Party's principles and policies,
provides guidance to and supervises the enterprise in observing the laws
and regulations of the state, exercises leadership over the trade union,
the Communist Youth League organization and other mass organizations,
rallies the workers and office staff around it, safeguards the legitimate
rights and interests of all quarters and stimulates the healthy
development of the enterprise.
The main consideration for the revision is that, with non- public
economic institutions becoming an important force in China' s economic
and social development, strengthening Party building in this domain is
suited to the need of upholding and improving the basic economic system
for the primary stage of socialism, the need of strengthening the Party's
ties with the workers and office staff in non-public enterprises, and the
need of consolidating the Party's class foundation and expanding its mass
base. The provision for this matter is necessary.
Supplementing the main tasks of Party discipline inspection organs
Combating and preventing corruption is a major political task for the
whole Party. Added to Article 44 in Chapter VIII concerning the main
tasks of the Party discipline inspection organs is an explicit reference
to the organs assisting the respective Party committees in organizing and
coordinating the work against corruption. The revision has been
designed to make the provision more consistent with the anti-corruption
leadership system and working mechanism that took shape in practical
work, which features unified leadership by Party committees, concerted
efforts of the Party and the government, organization and coordination by
the Party discipline inspection commissions, division of responsibilities
of all departments concerned and reliance on the support and
participation of the people. Also added to Article 44's provisions on
day-to-day work of the Party discipline inspection organs is a reference
to the supervision over the exercise of power by leading Party cadres and
the guarantee of the rights of Party members. The revision will make
the work of discipline inspection better meet the requirements of the new
situation and new tasks. It is also beneficial to developing
inner-Party democracy, strengthening inner-Party supervision, and
unfolding in a deep-going way the struggle against corruption.
Further description of the nature of the Communist Youth League of
China
In Article 49, Chapter X, the wording that the Communist Youth League
of China "is a school where a large number of young people learn about
communism through practice" is changed into "a school where a large
number of young people learn about socialism with Chinese characteristics
and about communism through practice". The new wording will encourage
young people to combine their lofty ideal of communism with their firm
conviction in socialism with Chinese characteristics, study hard, work in
a down-to-earth manner, stand tests and increase abilities in the great
cause of reform, opening up and the socialist modernization drive.
Adding a new chapter on the Party emblem and flag
The Constitution adopted at the 16th National Congress of the CPC
adds Chapter XI on Party emblem and flag. Article 51 stipulates that
the emblem of the Communist Party of China is a design of sickle and
hammer. Article 52 provides that the flag of the Communist Party of
China is a red flag highlighted by a golden Party emblem on it. And
according to Article 53, the Party emblem and flag are the symbol and
sign of the Communist Party of China, Party organizations at all levels
and all Party members shall safeguard the sanctity of the Party emblem
and flag, and the Party emblem and flag should be made and used according
to regulations. This new chapter will play an important role in
safeguarding the sanctity of the Party emblem and flag, give play to the
role of the emblem and flag in arousing Party members, increase the Party
members' sense of honor and awareness of their mission, and enhance the
Party's cohesion and impact.
Handling of opinions and proposals from Party organizations and Party
members
Party organs at all levels and Party members have showed great
concern about the revision of the Party Constitution. Party
organizations and Party members in various localities and departments
wrote to the Central Committee and relevant departments, airing their
views and suggestions on revising the Constitution. A draft of the
amendment to the Party Constitution was circulated among over 3,000
people within the Party, and they offered many good views and
suggestions. These views and suggestions were earnestly studied, and
many have been adopted. Some of these views and suggestions had not
been adopted but have their main ideas reflected in the report to the
16th National Congress of the CPC. Some other views and suggestions
which have not been included in the Party Constitution still need to be
further studied in practice. Some would be incorporated into other
regulations of the Party. It can be said that in revising the Party
Constitution, the wisdom of the whole Party has been applied in a
concentrated way through fully practicing inner-Party democracy.
[Description of Source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official
news service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency)]
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